Wayne Community College English Instructor Deniz Tuck is the recipient of the College’s 2025 George E. Wilson Excellence in Teaching Award.
Tuck was announced as the winner during the second of WCC’s two spring commencement ceremonies. She was presented with a framed certificate and stipend.
This is the 40th year that the College has presented the award. An anonymous donor established it with the Foundation of WCC to honor the late George E. Wilson. Wilson was known for his service to others and his contributions as a WCC trustee and civic leader in Wayne County and the state.
Tuck was selected by a committee of community leaders for the award and will be WCC’s nominee for the 2025 Excellence in Teaching Award given by the State Board of Community Colleges.
One of Tuck’s colleagues described her as a remarkable educator and an invaluable member of the WCC community, commending her for her deep commitment to students, colleagues, and the mission of WCC.
“Deniz fosters a classroom where students are not only engaged—they’re invested,” another colleague said. “She creates a learning environment grounded in dignity, respect, and personal connection, even in virtual spaces. Deniz prepares students not just for academic success, but for meaningful participation in the wider world.”
In addition to her impact in the classroom, Tuck participated in a leadership program between WCC and Nash Community College last year and co-designed an artificial intelligence literacy course for faculty. She and her husband, Dean, who is also an English instructor at WCC, are leaders of the College’s International Travel Program.
Tuck is a WCC alumna who then majored in English and history at East Carolina University and earned a master’s degree in English from North Carolina State University. She was an adjunct instructor for WCC and North Carolina Wesleyan University until becoming a full-time faculty member at WCC in 2014.
About Wayne Community College
Wayne Community College is a public, learning-centered institution with an open-door admission policy located in Goldsboro, N.C. As it works to develop a highly skilled and competitive workforce, the college serves around 10,000 individuals annually as well as businesses, industry, and community organizations with high quality, affordable, accessible learning opportunities, including more than 150 college credit programs. WCC’s mission is to meet the educational, training, and cultural needs of the communities it serves.